The present invention relates to protective shoulder pads, and more particularly to a V-shaped cross-over strap construction for use with such pads.
Shoulder pads have been used for many years by a variety of athletes; however, the past thirty or forty years have shown that they are of most use to football players. Today's athlete, generally, is bigger and stronger than his counterpart in the past. Furthermore, today's game has required speed and agility, even in offensive and defensive linemen, which are not thought possible in the past. To this end, it is of paramount importance that the athlete's protective equipment be as streamlined as possible, while at the same time is of such construction as to give him the utmost of protection and the highest degree of comfort as is possible.
For some years, shoulder pads were placed on the shoulder of the athlete and tied with lacings, or the like, at the front and/or back panels and elastic straps were used on or near the lower portions of the panels thereof to connect the front and back panels in an attempt to secure the pads to the athlete. As time went on, more attention was given to making the elastic strap connectors adjustable so that the pads could be held onto the athlete in a more secure fashion. In recent years, some models of shoulder pads have introduced an additional strapping means for the purpose of securely holding the pads to the athlete, and also to prevent the pads from having any upward mobility causing discomfort to the athlete wearing them.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,163 shows a single strap connector in the front portion of the pads that goes around toward the back where a hanging double connecting strap secures the back portion of the pads to the back portion of the connecting strap. However, while this construction may securely hold the pads in place, it does have the disadvantage, because of its elasticity and positioning of all three straps, of creeping up on the athlete during the performance of his athletic duties. U.S. Pat. No. 3,134,106 shows a somewhat similar construction wherein the two connecting straps therein are attached to the pants of the athlete. This prevents the pads from creeping up on the athlete but has the disadvantage of discomfort and the expense of completely redesigning the pad construction and pant construction. U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,763 shows still another construction wherein the straps are used in a criss-crossing manner going from front to back that is difficult to adjust, attach and use. Each of the above-described strapping constructions all use more than two connecting straps.
Accordingly, a principal feature of the present invention is the provision of a strap construction for securing shoulder pads to the body of the athlete that is comfortable to wear and easy to use and adjust.
Another object of this invention is to provide such a strap construction that has the above-referenced advantages but is easy to manufacture as well as being economical to do so.
Still another object of the instant invention is to provide shoulder pads that will not creep up on the athlete during the performance of his skills on the field.